Sacramento, Calif. — Today, Sacramento Kings Chairman, CEO and Governor Vivek Ranadivé issued the following statement on the passing of NBA Commissioner Emeritus David J. Stern:
“David will always be remembered as Superman in Sacramento. His impact on the league will leave a lasting imprint around the world and his fierce support of the team and this community is the reason why the Kings stayed in Sacramento. David’s enthusiasm for our city and belief in our fans will never be forgotten.
“He was a brilliant leader, thoughtful visionary, passionate advocate for diversity and inclusion, loyal friend, and loving husband and father who will be deeply missed. David’s unprecedented 30-year tenure as Commissioner will go down in history as the greatest in all of sports. He transformed the game of basketball and turned the league into the global force we know and love today. It has been a great honor to call him a dear friend and his commitment to using the NBA platform to do good will always be a source of great inspiration to myself and many others.
“On behalf of the Kings organization, we extend our deepest condolences to his wife Dianne, sons Andrew and Eric, and the entire Stern family as we keep them in our hearts and prayers at this most difficult time.”